Jan Trip Report/Photos

[BrizMarc]

Hey guys, just got back from my overseas trip. Heres my photos from Disneyland Paris http://flickr.com/photos/marceurope/set ... 535394344/
(your best bet is to click slide show on the upper right to view them)These are only a few of about 500 I took. The trip was great. The weather was great if not cold for the 3 days I was there. The park was very quiet and i rode almost every single ride in both parks with some a few times. The longest I waited in 3 days was for 10 mins for POC. Besides that almost everything was walk on. I stayed at Disneys newport bay club and it was really good. Hope you enjoy the photos!

EDIT: Ive added my trip report.

Disneyland Paris trip report. Jan 18-20 2009

We got into DLP after a great trip on the eurostar from London. The train does 300kmh and the trip is only a couple of hours express which is great. We checked into Disneys Newport Bay club which is themed nautical/new England style. Lots of whites and blues which made the place seem very clean and fresh. The weather was really nice and clear as it was for most of the 3 days I was there. It was very cold though and never got over about 4 degrees the whole time I was there which didn’t affect the experience at all. It just managed to make the park quiet which made getting around a breeze. I was busting to get into the park so we dumped our luggage in the hotel room and took off to the park. Lake Disney which the hotels sit on was frozen and it looked like a massive skate ring. Getting to the park I was amazed buy the Disneyland Hotel sitting over the entrance. I didn’t realize you walked under the hotel to get into the park. We got into the park around 1pm and headed straight for Phantom Manor which was closing from the next day for maintenance. We rode it a few times seeing would be closed. Most of the ride was in French so you don’t have any idea what they are all saying. Luckily this wasn’t a recurring theme through the park. Most rides are in English and French. We then walked around the park to have a look just to check out the place. The paddle steamers were both non operational due to the rivers being frozen. POC was the next ride and it was to become my favorite ride in the park and that view never changed. I was shocked to see that when you board the boat and turn the first corner you sail past people eating their food at the Blue Lagoon restaurant. This is a very cool addition to the Paris version. After a quick bite of coffee and a Mickey shaped doughnut we hit fantasy land. It was so quiet and almost every ride was a walk on. We rode every single ride in Fantasy land in about an hour and a half. Stand outs were Small World, Peter Pans Flight and very well themed Alice’s Curious Labyrinth. The Dragon under the castle is very cool. It’s a very dark walk underneath then to come across it moving and breathing is a shock. It was supposed to be closed but for some reason was open. We watched the afternoon parade and then spent some more time looking at shops and re riding a few rides in fantasyland. By this point it was getting to closing time for the night. We watched the nightly Candlebration where they light the castle up for the 15th anniversary. While Mickey and Minnie sing from the top. It was very cool. No fireworks due to the time of the year. We headed back to the hotel for the buffet dinner. It was pretty good but nothing too exciting. About $100 for 2 people.

Day 2 started early to get into the park for the Extra magic hours. An already quiet park with only hotel guests was it VERY empty. We rode Space Mountain first and thought it was just brilliant. It is so well themed and the upside-down loop makes it even better. We rode pretty much everything in Discoveryland over the next hour and the headed off to Adventureland to ride the Indy Coaster. I really enjoyed it but found space mountain to be better. We messed around the rest of the land on the Swiss Family Robinson tree house and then headed to Walt’s an American restaurant for lunch. This place is so amazingly done up and posh just going in there was worth the price of the food alone. I imagine this is what club 33 would be a bit like at DL Cali. We both had the chicken and veges which was perfectly presented to make it look like you were getting a lot more food than you were. Around $150 for 2 meals, 2 drinks, coffee and desert. Not too bad and like I said the place was so amazing it worth every cent. After lunch we decided to head to Hollywood studios. This park is beyond small and has a very rushed feel in the presentation. I wasn’t overly impressed. It has zero Disney magic what so ever. The tram tour was very average except for the 1 main effect where they dump 200000 liters of water straight at your tram. The stand outs and only real reason to come to the park is the amazing Rock N Roller coaster which is DLP’s best coaster the Tower of terror. Again everything was luckily a walk on at the park. It rained for the first time while there but only for about 45 mins. We were both sick of Hollywood studios after 2 hours and left to head back to DL. We went in and rode Big Thunder Mountain and finished up any rides in the park we had missed over the next few hours. We left early before the park closed to avoid the dinner rush at Disney Village where we ate at the very cool Annette’s diner. It’s a 60’s themed diner and they bring food on rollerskates. These kids are amazing. Running up and down 2 flights of stairs in roller skates with trays of food in there hands. We ate the most expensive burgers and fries ever but again was well worth it. After dinner it was sleep time after a long day.

Next morning we got up and had breakfast at the hotel. Mickey was standing all by him self in the foyer so we got our photos with him. We had a few hours in the park to stock up on souvenirs and re ride a few favorite rides. Got a heap of character photos. I really didn’t want to leave but alas it was time to go. You really feel like a little kid when its time to leave. I could have been dragged kicking and screaming.

Overall the trip was really good. Cold weather wasn’t really a problem if you rugged up and luckily only 45 mins of rain in 3 days. The price of food is a joke all over the resort and probably the only downer to the place. Going at a quiet time of year really makes you able to see everything. Luckily most of the rides were open.

Best rides were POT, Rock N Roller Coaster, Space Mountain and Peter Pans flight.

[churros]

Fantastic photos - now we need a trip report! -/

[KeithS]

Great photos Marc. I love the photo of the train coming out of the tunnel with all the steam billowing and the partners statue in the Studios park with the sun shining and the rain coming down. You were lucky with the light crowds - seems like you've discovered a great time to go, although you can see how cold it is from the jackets people are wearing!

As Beth said, we need a day by day trip report now! What did you do there, how was the food, what else did you get up to in Paris etc - we need details!

[BrizMarc]

ill get to the trip report soon. Glad you liked the photos

[ajp]

They were great photos Marc. Those of you who have been described it as the prettiest park of them all, and judging by these photos, you're not far off. The details and colours used in the attractions looked incredible, especially the Alice in Wonderland stuff. Shame the weather wasn't the best for you though.

[mushu mama]

OH Wow....
What a beautiful place. And such short waits...

Beautiful shots Marc. Are you going to do a trip report for us?
Paris is now back at the top of my bucket list.

Lisa.

[BrizMarc]

Ok ive added my trip report up top. Ill add more photos soon. My flickr account wont let me add anymore yet

[ajp]

You really feel like a little kid when its time to leave. I could have been dragged kicking and screaming.

Well said!

Enjoyed reading the report Marc, sounds like a great time was had. Are the food prices consistent with the rest of France ie expensive? Although you do tend to pay a little extra for that sprinkling of pixie dust with the burger and fries

[mushu mama]

Thanks for the report Marc. Sounds amazing. I knew that France was expensive food wise but that is scary.

Lisa. -/

[BrizMarc]

You really feel like a little kid when its time to leave. I could have been dragged kicking and screaming.

Well said!

Enjoyed reading the report Marc, sounds like a great time was had. Are the food prices consistent with the rest of France ie expensive? Although you do tend to pay a little extra for that sprinkling of pixie dust with the burger and fries

Disney is a bit more expensive but Paris its self is still expensive. 2 medium Big mac meals at Maccas will still cost you around $25. its hard with the euro exchange being so bad at the moment. Im sure 12 months ago it would have beet alot cheaper.

[churros]

Great report! Looks like I will really need to save my pennies for this trip!

[KeithS]

its hard with the euro exchange being so bad at the moment. Im sure 12 months ago it would have beet alot cheaper.

Yep - your timing for the trip was unfortuneate - I know when we went in 2006 it was the most expensive stop on our tour but prices were still reasonable. I guess we won't be going back to Europe until some form of recovery has begun!